DENVER — A dozen people reported minor injuries and five were taken to hospitals after a Frontier Airlines jet on takeoff hit and killed a person walking across a runway at Denver International Airport Friday night, according to airport officials.
The jet hit the pedestrian during takeoff around 11:20 p.m. Friday, according to DIA.
An official confirmed to ABC News that "the person was at least partially consumed by one of the engines," adding it caused a "brief engine fire, extinguished by firefighters."
DIA officials later confirmed in a statement that the person "jumped the perimeter fence and was hit just two minutes later while crossing the runway." The person killed has not been identified and is not believed to be an airport employee. Officials said the fenceline is intact.
Denver7 reporter Lauren Lennon has the latest update in the video player below.
There were 231 people on board the Los Angeles-bound flight. According to Frontier Airlines, 224 were passengers and seven were crew members. After the passengers onboard the Airbus A321neo evacuated on the runway using emergency slides, they were bussed to the terminal and most departed the airport on another Frontier flight.
In a statement, DIA said the National Transportation Safety Board has been notified, and the runway where this happened — 17L — will remain closed for the rest of the day.
The Denver Police Department is also investigating this incident.
Victoria Lohman, who was a passenger on the flight, spoke to Denver7.
"Started going down the runway and all of the sudden this huge bang," she said. "Everyone got really frightened and understandably so."
Emergency crews responded to the scene and bussed passengers to the terminal. 231 souls were on board. Emergency response and investigation are ongoing. The NTSB has been notified. Runway 17L will remain closed while the investigation is conducted. 2/2
— Denver Int'l Airport (@DENAirport) May 9, 2026
Denver7 reached out to Frontier Airlines Saturday morning.
Below is a statement the airline provided:
As flight 4345 was departing this evening from Denver International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport, the aircraft reportedly struck a pedestrian on the runway during takeoff. Smoke was reported in the cabin and the pilots aborted takeoff. Passengers were then safely evacuated via slides as a matter of precaution. The Airbus A321 was carrying 224 passengers and seven crew members. We are investigating this incident and gathering more information in coordination with the airport and other safety authorities. We are deeply saddened by this event.
Denver7 obtained the communications between the Frontier pilot and the air traffic controller. Here's a portion of that exchange:
Pilot: Tower, Frontier, Tower, 4345 we're stopping on the runway there. We just hit somebody. We have an engine fire.
ATC: 4345 I'm going to be rolling the trucks now. Do you can you know the souls on board and fuel remaining?
Pilot: All right, 4345 we have 231 souls on board. We have 220 1320 pounds of fuel on board. There was an individual walking across the runway. We've got smoke in the aircraft. We're going to evacuate on the runway.
ATC: We're having ops and emergency vehicles going all the way now seven. They're about halfway down the runway, of one seven left. They're evacuating the runway. The aircraft on the runway,
This is a developing story and will be updated.
